Self-priming sewage and trash pump



A ril 26, 1966 w. J. CONERY SELFPRIMING SEWAGE AND TRASH PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb.

INVENTOR. WILLIAM J. CQNERY ATTYS.

April LI 5 J CONERY SELF-PRIMING SEWAGE AND TRASH PUMP 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1965 I INVENTOR.

WILLIAM J.CONERY ATTYS.

3,247,801 SELF-PRHMING SEWAGE AND TRASH PUMP William J. Conery, Ashland, Ohio, assignor to l-lydr-O- Matic Pump (lompany, Hayesviile, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 439,017 6 (Ilairns (Cl. 103-103) The present invention relates to pumps, and particularly to pumps for handling liquids having a large percentage of solids or foreign material therein, such as sewage and trash pumps, and the like.

In pumps of the general type to which the invention relates, frequently these pumps are clogged or cluttered by an accumulation of solids in the pumping chamber. Hence, many of these pumps need to be frequently dismantled and cleaned to remove foreign material therein. Furthermore, in pumps of this type, wear may occur relatively rapidly in various portions of the pump, such as the members that define the marginal wall portions of the pumping chamber of the pump. It also is a problem in pumps of this type to maintain the pump impeller in desired spaced relation to other portions of the pumping chamber.

Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved pump for pumping liquids having large irregular foreign objects therein, which pump is characterized by a novel and improved construction'to permit convenient disassembly of a portion of the pump to facilitate cleaning the pumping chamher for removal of foreign objects therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved pumpwherein the pump housing has a side opening provided therein and an inlet elbow is provided and is removably secured to the pump housing over such side opening, which inlet elbow has a special tapered end positioned remotely from the pump housing and adapted to be removably attached to another fixed member, such as a suction inlet pipe or the like, for the pump.

Another object of the invention is to secure a special inlet elbow in a suction pump assembly so that the inlet elbow can be removed from the pump assembly manually without disassembly of any other portions of the pump and Without use of any tools.

A further object of the invention is to position a pump impeller in a pump means so as to permit axial adjustment of the impeller and its support shaft conveniently in the pump assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pump that has a plurality of readily replaceable wear plates or members positioned therein so that portions of the pump are conveniently accessible and can be repaired with a minimum of disassembly and reassembly work thereon.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

Attention now is particularly directed to the accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a pump embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the pump of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of the pump of FIG 1 partially disassembled to show the impeller and the associated volute lip and other means in the pump; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the volute lip and positioning plate therefor.

While the pump of the invention can be used in any desired assembly for any suitable pumping action, the pump means of the invention can be used, for example, in association with a suitable sump wherein the liquid and associated solid means, such as trash, sewage or the like,

3,247,801 Patented Apr. 26, 1966 can be accumulated. Any desired control means can be provided in association with the pump of the invention and its drive means so that the pump can, for example, automatically control the level of matter accumulating in the sump with which the pump means of the invention is associated for automatically retaining the fluid level therein within predetermined limits.

Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a sewage and trash pump or the like that comprises a pump housing having a side inlet and a pumping chamber, an impeller rotatably positioned within the pumping chamber of the pump housing, an inlet elbow removably connected at one end to the housing at the inlet thereof, the other end of the inlet elbow having a flat surface formed at an angle of other than to the center axis of such portion of the inlet elbow, an inlet housing that is adapted to be fixedly positioned and connected to a suction tube for drawing liquid material into the pump, and which inlet housing has one free end thereof formed complementary to the other end of the inlet elbow and being abutted thereagainst, and seal means positioned intermediate adjacent portions of the abutted ends of the inlet elbow and the inlet housing to provide a liquid seal therebetween, the inlet elbow being removable without disassembly of other parts of the pump.

With reference to the particular details of the structure shown in the drawings, a suitable pump 1 is shown, and this pump may be used, for example, for pumping sewage, trash, or any other similar material and normally the pump is used to draw up the material being pumped from a suitable sump, or equivalent receiving chamber, that is positioned adjacent and normally below the level of the pump 1. This pump 1 includes a housing 2 which has a pump chamber 3 provided therein, and an inlet 4 is provided in the side of the housing 2. The pump housing 2 has an outlet 5 and any conventional means may connect thereto to receive the material being pumped out to a sewage line or other transfer pipe, as desired.

An impeller 6 is rotatably positioned within the pump chamber 3 and it, for example, has a pair of vanes, or impeller blades 7, formed thereon or it may be of other conventional construction, as desired. This impeller 6 is positioned on and secured to a shaft 8 that extends into the pumping chamber 3 and with the shaft 8 being journalled in and rotatably supported within a bearing housing 9. The shaft 8 may be of any suitable construction and has any known types of seal means and positioning plates associated with it for sealing the shaft with relation to the pump chamber 3,

As a feature of the invention, the shaft 8 is positioned for limited axial adjustment within relation to the pump chamber 3 and to this end, the shaft is supported by a pair of bearings 1% and 11 at spaced axial portions thereof with the bearing 10 being received within a cylindrical section 12 of the bearing housing 9 and with the bearing 11 being carried by a bearing cap 13. This bearing cap 13 has a section 14 in telescopic engagement with the end of the bearing housing 9 remote from the pump housing 2. The bearing cap 13 has an attaching flange 15 extending therefrom and suitable cap screws 16 or the like can be provided for attaching the flange 15 of the bearing cap to the bearing housing 9. Usually the flange 15 is in axially spaced relationship with the adjacent end of the bearing housing 9, and the spacing of the flange 15 from the bearing housing 9 is controlled by adjusting the screws or bolts 16 to move the bearing cap and the shaft: 7 and the bearings 10 and 11 axially of the bearing housing 9. Hence, control of the spacing of the impeller 6 in relation to the pumping chamber in which it is positioned is provided. It will be realized that the bearings 10 and 11 are in fixed engagement with their associated sections of the shaft 8 so that there is no relative movement therebetween when the position of the bearing cap 13 is adjusted relative to the bearing housing 9. Cap screws 17 attach the other end of the bearing housing 9 to the pump housing or to a member secured thereto.

The pump chamber 3 of the pump 1 is also preferably at least partially defined by a volute lip and wear plate 18 that is positioned to form one marginal portion of the pump chamber, which plate 18 has a volute lip 19 formed thereon, which lip is normally positioned immediately adjacent the periphery of the impeller 6, particularly in adjacent relationship to the outer diameter of the vanes 7 provided on the impeller. Such volute lip and wear plate 18 are removably attached to an associated portion of the pump housing 2, or members afiixed thereto by screws or bolts 20 whereby the volute plate 18 can readily be removed by removing the screws or bolts 20 by which such plate is attached to the pump housing. After access is provided to the pump chamber 3, as hereinafter described, then one only needs to remove the impeller 6 to provide access to the volute lip and wear plate 18 to remove it should such service action be required.

On the inlet side of the pump chamber 3, a wall portion of the pump chamber is provided by an impeller wear plate 21 that is carried by the outlet end of an inlet elbow 22 for the pump 1. Such inlet elbow 22 usually has an end flange 23 formed thereon that is secured to the pump housing 2 as by means of hand knobs 24 which threadably engage studs 24a or the like secured to and extending from the pump housing 2. Hence, the hand knobs 24 can be tightened and loosened manually without any special tools for convenient removal of the inlet elbow, 22 as hereinafter described.

FIG. 1 of the drawings clearly shows that an inlet housing or tube 25 is provided for the pump 1 and it connects to a fixedly positioned inlet housing 26. This inlet housing 26 usually has a suction check valve 27 positioned at its inlet end, and a suitable priming cap 28 is also present in an upper portion of this inlet housing 26.

It is an important feature of the invention that the end of the inlet elbow 22 remote from the suction inlet for the pumping chamber 3 is formed of a flat surface 22a that is at an angle of other than 90 to the center axis of such end portion of the inlet elbow. Thus, as shown in the drawings, the adjacent ends of the inlet housing 26 and inlet elbow 22 are formed complementary to each other and are tapered, fiat surfaces. Usually some conventional member, such as an Oring 29, is provided as a seal between these abutted surfaces of such members. By having the end of the inlet elbow 22 tapered in such .a manner wherein the upper end of the inlet elbow, as

shown in the drawings, is remote from the pump housing 2 in relation to the lower edge or portion of this end of the inlet elbow, then it is possible to disengage such inlet elbow from association with the inlet housing 26 by axial movement of the inlet elbow, with relation to the impeller 6, away from the pump housing. Such movement does not require that any other portions of the pump 2 be disassembled in any manner and a very convenient construction is provided for disassembly and reassembly of the inlet elbow, as one unit, from the remainder of the pump. Removal of such inlet elbow also removes the wear plate 21 and directly exposes the pump chamber 3 for service action. Hence, any large or bulky objects that may collect in and around the inlet housing, the inlet elbow, or in the pump chamber of the housing 2, can relatively easily be removed therefrom and the pump can be quickly cleaned and returned to service.

In other words, the wedging surface22a of the inlet elbow 22 is in wedged engagement with a complementary wedging surface 25a of the inlet pipe 25 and such surfaces are brought into sealed engagement by the hand knobs 24 as they are tightened. Hence, movement of the inlet elbow 22 towards the impeller 6, which movement may be considered to be parallel to the axis of the impeller 6, will seal both ends of the elbow into operative engagement with the associated pump means.

Any conventional seal means for the shaft 8 are provided in a seal housing 30.

As another auxiliary feature of the present invention, preferably the seal housing 30 and bear-ing housing 9 are attached to the pump housing, or means aflixed thereto in a removable manner, as by use of cap screws or bolts 31. Then in order to facilitate adjustment of the vertical relationship between the bearing housing and seal housing in relation to the pump housing 2, a support foot 32 is provided that is adapted to engage with a support flange 33 that is provided on a lower portion of the bearing housing 9 remote from the pump housing. Thus,'by the provision of slotted connections or slotted openings provided in the support foot 3-2, cap screws 34 used for attaching this support foot to the hearing housing 9 can be varied in their relationship to the support foot for limited vertical, or arcuate adjustment of this end of the bearing housing to facilitate accurate alignment of the bearing housing 9 with the pump housing 2 even though some irregularities may exist in the support surfaces on which the pump 1 and associated portions thereof are positioned.

The volute plate 18 and the lip 19 formed thereon form a further feature of the invention, as such plate and the lip thereon tend to cut up any stringy material or rags that flow intothe pump and prevent the impeller of the pump from clogging. If the pump shown, or one similar thereto, is provided with .a rounded volute case with ample clearance around the impeller, it will clog on rags and other material, particularly stringy material that will pass through the pump of the invention Where the volute lip as shown is close to the impeller. A further feature of the volute lip 19 in pumps of the class described is that the diameter of the impeller 6 and the vanes 7 thereon may be reduced without losing priming efficiency. If the volute lip is cast in the casting as is true in many other competitive pumps, only small reductions in the impeller diameter are possible, or else the priming time for the pump is greatly increased. It will be noted that the volute lip 19 and its positioning plate 18 can be readily replaced in the pump of the invention by the assembly shown.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a novel and improved pump unit has been provided by the invention and that the objects of the invention have been achieved. While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A sewage and trash pump or the like comprising a pump housing having an inlet, outlet and a pumping chamber, .an impeller rotatably positioned within said pumping chamber, an inlet elbow removably connected at one end to said housing at said inlet, the other end of said inlet elbow having a wedging surface formed thereon, and a fixedly positioned inlet housing having one wedging end surface formed complementary tosaid wedging surface ofsaid inlet elbow and abutted thereagainst, said wedging surfaces being engageable by movement of said inlet elbow towards said pump housing parallel to the axis of said impeller, said inlet elbow being removable from the pump separately without change in any other portion of the pump. 2. A self-priming sewage and trash pump or the like comprising a pump housing forming an inlet, a pumping chamber and an outlet,

an impeller rotatably and removably positioned within said housing,

a plate having .a volute lip thereon removably positioned in said pumping chamber with its'volute lip positioned adjacent the periphery of said impeller, said plate being independent of said pump housing and the outlet therefor to provide for change of said plate with change in size of said impeller,

an inlet elbow removably connected at one end to said housing at said inlet, the other end of said inlet elbow having a tapered flat surface formed thereon,

an impeller wear plate removably carried by said inlet elbow at said one end thereof, 7

a fixedly positioned inlet housing having one end formed complementary to said other end of said inlet elbow and abutted thereagainst, the abutted ends of said inlet elbow and said inlet housing being slanted in such a manner that said inlet elbow can be removed without dismantling any other portions of the pump,

a suction valve positioned intermediate the ends of said inlet housing to be accessible from said one end of said inlet housing to enable removal of bulky objects therefrom, and

quickly removable means directly securing said inlet elbow to said pump housing.

3. A self-priming sewage and trash pump or the like comprising a pump housing forming an inlet, a pumping chamber and an outlet,

I an impeller rotatably and removably positioned within said housing,

a plate having a volute lip thereon removably positioned in said pumping chamber with its volute lip positioned adjacent the periphery of said impeller, said plate being independent of said pump housing and the outlet therefor to provide for change of said plate with change in size of said impeller,

an inlet elbow removably connected at one end to said housing at said inlet, the other end of said inlet elbow having a tapered flat surface formed thereon,

a fixedly positioned inlet housing having one end formed complementary to said other end of said inlet elbow and abutted thereagainst, the abutted ends of said inlet elbow and said inlet housing being complementary and being engaged by movement of said inlet elbow towards said pump housing parallel to the axis of said impeller,

a suction valve positioned intermediate the ends of said inlet housing to be accessible from said one end of said inlet housing to enable removal of bulky objects therefrom, and

removable means securing said inlet elbow to said pump housing to provide for access to said pumping chamber solely by removal of said removable means and said inlet elbow.

4. A self-primping sewage and trash pump or the like comprising a pump housing forming an inlet, a pumping chamber and an outlet,

an impeller rotatably positioned within said housing,

an inlet elbow removably connected at one end to said housing at said inlet, the other end of said inlet elbow having a tapered flat surface formed thereon,

a fixedly positioned inlet housing having one end formed complementary to said other end of said inlet elbow and abutted thereagainst, the abutted ends of said inlet elbow and said inlet housing being complemen- 7O tary and being engaged by movement of said inlet comprising elbow towards said pump housing parallel to the axis comprising a pump housing forming an inlet, a pumping chamber and an outlet,

an impeller rotatably and removably positioned within said housing,

a plate having a volute lip thereon removably positioned in said pumping chamber with its volute lip positioned adjacent the periphery of said. impeller, said plate being independent of said pump housing and the outlet therefor to provide for change of said plate with change in size of said impeller,

an inlet elbow removably connected at one end to said housing at said inlet, the other end of said inlet elbow having a'tapered flat surface formed thereon,

a fixedly positioned inlet housing having one end formed complementary to said other end of said inlet elbow and abutted thereagainst, the abutted ends of said inlet elbow and said inlet housing being complementary and being engaged by movement of said inlet elbow towards said pump housing parallel to the axis of said impeller, and

removable means securing said inlet elbow to said pump housing to provide for access to said pumping chamber solely by removal of said removable means V and said inlet elbow.

6. A self-priming sewage and trash pump or the like a pump housing forming an inlet, a pumping chamber and an outlet,

an impeller rotatably positioned within said housing,

an inlet elbow terminating in a flanged end removably connected by said flanged end only to said housing at said inlet, the other end of said inlet elbow having a tapered fiat surface formed thereon,

an impeller wear plate removably carried by said inlet elbow at said flanged end thereof.

a fixedly positioned inlet housing having one end formed complementary to said other end of said inlet elbow and abutted thereagainst, the abutted ends of said inlet elbow and said inlet housing being flat and being slanted in such a manner that said inlet elbow can be removed by movement axially away from other portions of the pump, and

removable means directly securing said inlet elbow to said pump housing by forcing said flanged end thereagainst.

References Cited by the Examiner 4/1963' Canada. 4/1963 Canada.

MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner.

HENRY F. RADUAZO, Examiner. 

1. A SEWAGE AND TRASH PUMP OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A PUMP HOUSING HAVING AN INLET, OUTLET AND A PUMPING CHAMBER, AN IMPELLER ROTATABLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID PUMPING CHAMBER, AN INLET ELBOW REMOVABLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID HOUSING AT SAID INLET, THE OTHER END OF SAID INLET ELBOW HAVING A WEDGING SURFACE FORMED THEREON, AND A FIXEDLY POSITIONED INLET HOUSING HAVING ONE WEDGING END SURFACE FORMED COMPLEMENTARY TO SAID WEDGING SURFACE OF SAID INLET ELBOW AND ABUTTED THEREAGAINST, SAID WEDGING SURACES BEING ENGAGEABLE BY MOVEMENT OF SAID INLET ELBOW TOWARDS SAID PUMP HOUSING PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID IMPELLER, SAID INLET ELBOW BEING REMOVABLE FROM THE PUMP SEPARATELY WITHOUT CHANGE IN ANY OTHER PORTION OF THE PUMP. 